Absolutely it's possible . See screenshot below from my 15 r4. I used the Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology - since renamed) which is part of the BIOS to configure 2 m2 2280 nvme drives in a RAID 0 array. Note, I believe the Intel BIOS option requires the drives be on the same controller types - meaning even though the r4 has a third internal m2 slot, because it is pci-e (x2) instead of (x4) like the other 2, it can't be used in the array (though worth getting a cheap 2242(?) m2 nvme drive for it anyway IMO..
Plus side of doing it in BIOS is you're OS can be installed on the RAID 0 array if you're looking for pure speed.
Minus side is that on another machine (Non-dell/desktop), several times the Intel RST configuration was lost (BIOS issues I think...) and for me that means all data on the array was lost.
If you want to play it safer (IMO) - partition 1 of the 2280 m2 drives so it can hold your OS and then you can use the remaining space plus an equal amount from your other m2 2280 to create a RAID 0 volume in Windows. In my experience you are much more likely to be able to recover the volume in Windows - even after a fresh OS install - however, so long as I was going to backup anything important from these drives I would go for the speed and create the array using Intel RST in BIOS.
FWIW, for me, other good upgrades were the 3rd nvme and replacing spinning platter with an SSD were good upgrades for me. Let me also suggest for like 20 bucks, buying an intel ax200 wifi-6 card and replacing the killer AC wifi. Of course then you will probably want to upgrade your router and...well I'm sure many would say it's not worth it, and many would say it is.
@Alienware Area-51 ALX 2006 - Why do you say it's theoretically impossible? Do you mean to achieve the true performance benefit? Because see my below post, I am doing it, so didn't know if you just didn't understand, or if I didn't understand what you meant. Thanks.
Hi @JakeZGamer welcome to this user to user forum. Here are a few observations for your consideration.
There is no perceptible performance benefit having two drives in Raid 0 configuration. A single 1TB or 2TB ultrafast NVMe drive is the optimum. If one of the two original Raid 0 drives fails, both must be replaced with your previously cloned pair. Creating a cloned pair, when both M.2 2280 slots are already occupied requires additional external hardware. Having a single OS (C:) drive, can be cloned in the other slot. A 1TB or 2TB NVMe drive has faster read / write than the 500MB NVMe drive.
The same motherboard is installed in 15 R4 & 17 R5 laptops, users have successfully installed 64GB (2 x 32GB) RAM and told Windows 10 to use the M.2 2240 ultrafast NVMe as their virtual RAM. All three M.2 slots have PCIe Gen 3.0 x4 NVMe interfaces for speeds up to 32Gbps. [Storage Specification]
You could put a two M.2 SATA slot adapter in the 2.5" bay, with each slot having a 2TB SATA drive.
You could upgrade by installing a two wire Wi-Fi 6 card, but this system has no provision for a three wire card. However, if the Wi-Fi Hub does not support Wi-Fi 6 and/or the incoming Wi-Fi service is slow, it is pointless.
If your Operating system is Windows 10 x64 Home it could be changed to Professional.
You cannot change the CPU or GPU because they are soldered to the main board, and waiting for 11th generation Intel CPU designed for laptops, is recommended before upgrading the main board.
You could get an external graphics amplifier and a high resolution external computer monitor.
You could get an external multi-port apapter and connect this to the USB-C thunderbolt 3 port.
You could get an external NAS (Network Attached Storage) Device.
However, IMHO, advocate waiting a couple of years, to get the next generation 3D holographic home computer system.
A51-06
5 Practitioner
•
3.1K Posts
0
September 6th, 2020 07:00
You can’t do raid 0 on an Alienware laptop as that’s theoretically Impossible unless you try forcing it.
those upgrades are applicable and you’re pretty much good on storing anything on that computer.
nstaff
4 Posts
0
January 17th, 2021 11:00
Absolutely it's possible . See screenshot below from my 15 r4. I used the Intel RST (Rapid Storage Technology - since renamed) which is part of the BIOS to configure 2 m2 2280 nvme drives in a RAID 0 array. Note, I believe the Intel BIOS option requires the drives be on the same controller types - meaning even though the r4 has a third internal m2 slot, because it is pci-e (x2) instead of (x4) like the other 2, it can't be used in the array (though worth getting a cheap 2242(?) m2 nvme drive for it anyway IMO..
Plus side of doing it in BIOS is you're OS can be installed on the RAID 0 array if you're looking for pure speed.
Minus side is that on another machine (Non-dell/desktop), several times the Intel RST configuration was lost (BIOS issues I think...) and for me that means all data on the array was lost.
If you want to play it safer (IMO) - partition 1 of the 2280 m2 drives so it can hold your OS and then you can use the remaining space plus an equal amount from your other m2 2280 to create a RAID 0 volume in Windows. In my experience you are much more likely to be able to recover the volume in Windows - even after a fresh OS install - however, so long as I was going to backup anything important from these drives I would go for the speed and create the array using Intel RST in BIOS.
FWIW, for me, other good upgrades were the 3rd nvme and replacing spinning platter with an SSD were good upgrades for me. Let me also suggest for like 20 bucks, buying an intel ax200 wifi-6 card and replacing the killer AC wifi. Of course then you will probably want to upgrade your router and...well I'm sure many would say it's not worth it, and many would say it is.
Hope this helps.
-Nick
nstaff
4 Posts
0
January 17th, 2021 11:00
@Alienware Area-51 ALX 2006 - Why do you say it's theoretically impossible? Do you mean to achieve the true performance benefit? Because see my below post, I am doing it, so didn't know if you just didn't understand, or if I didn't understand what you meant. Thanks.
--Nick
crimsom
7 Technologist
•
6.1K Posts
0
January 17th, 2021 14:00
Hi @JakeZGamer welcome to this user to user forum. Here are a few observations for your consideration.
There is no perceptible performance benefit having two drives in Raid 0 configuration. A single 1TB or 2TB ultrafast NVMe drive is the optimum. If one of the two original Raid 0 drives fails, both must be replaced with your previously cloned pair. Creating a cloned pair, when both M.2 2280 slots are already occupied requires additional external hardware. Having a single OS (C:) drive, can be cloned in the other slot. A 1TB or 2TB NVMe drive has faster read / write than the 500MB NVMe drive.
The same motherboard is installed in 15 R4 & 17 R5 laptops, users have successfully installed 64GB (2 x 32GB) RAM and told Windows 10 to use the M.2 2240 ultrafast NVMe as their virtual RAM. All three M.2 slots have PCIe Gen 3.0 x4 NVMe interfaces for speeds up to 32Gbps. [Storage Specification]
You could put a two M.2 SATA slot adapter in the 2.5" bay, with each slot having a 2TB SATA drive.
You could upgrade by installing a two wire Wi-Fi 6 card, but this system has no provision for a three wire card. However, if the Wi-Fi Hub does not support Wi-Fi 6 and/or the incoming Wi-Fi service is slow, it is pointless.
If your Operating system is Windows 10 x64 Home it could be changed to Professional.
You cannot change the CPU or GPU because they are soldered to the main board, and waiting for 11th generation Intel CPU designed for laptops, is recommended before upgrading the main board.
You could get an external graphics amplifier and a high resolution external computer monitor.
You could get an external multi-port apapter and connect this to the USB-C thunderbolt 3 port.
You could get an external NAS (Network Attached Storage) Device.
However, IMHO, advocate waiting a couple of years, to get the next generation 3D holographic home computer system.